Paint container and applicator



June 10, 1952 E. s. BRAUN PAINT CONTAINER AND APPLICATOR Filed July 16, 1945 Patented June 10, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAINT CONTAINER AND APPLICATOR Elmer S. Braun, St. Louis, Mo.

Application July 16, 1945, Serial No. 605,228

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a paint container, equipped with means whereby a roller device used for applying paint to surfaces may be coated.

An object of the invention is to provide a container, for paint or other liquid material, equipped with means for supporting and guiding a roller in such a manner as to coat the same and to remove any surplus of paint on the roller surface prior to the use thereof as an applicator of paint to surfaces.

The method of applying paint to surfaces by means of a roller device instead of by brushing or spraying has become common, but difiiculty has been experienced in applying to the roller a proper coating of paint preparatory to rolling it onto the surface to be painted because of difficulty in obtaining an even distribution and of avoiding excess of paint for each application.

Difficulty has also been experienced in conveniently handling the paint material, particularly in applying it to elevated surfaces from a ladder or scafi'old.

The present device will be recognized as providing a. convenient and efficient means for the repeated coating of a roller, without leaving an excess amount of paint on the roller.

The advantages of the invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the device;

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. '5 is a detailed view of the frame for supporting and guiding the roller; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified form of valve between the two compartments of the device.

The invention, as illustrated in the drawing, comprises a rectangular vessel having a front wall I, a rear wall 2, side walls 3 and a bottom wall 4. The container is divided into a front compartment 5 and a rear compartment by a partition wall 1. The wall 1 extends transversely of the container and is set backwardly from the front wall a minor distance of the full depth of the container so that the capacity of the chamber is somewhat less than the capacity of the chamber 6.

The wall 1 is connected to the container in such a manner as to provide a forwardly inclined plane surface in its upper portion and a lower vertical section. The lower section is formed to provide a series of corrugations 8, constituting transverse channels spaced somewhat above the bottom wall and running parallel with each other at spaced elevations. These channels pro- 2 vide supports for the forward end of theframe, later to be described.

At the base of the wall I is a substantially vertical section 9 having an opening 10 therein providing communication between the chambers 5 and 6 adjacent the bottom thereof. The opening I0 is controlled by a valve plate I I that operates in a guideway l2 formed on the front face of the lower section 9 of the wall 1.

A valve stem l3 extends forwardly from the valve plate and is actuated inwardly by an expansion spring l4 interposed between'a collar Ma, carried by said valve stem, and a bushing IS in the front wall of the container, through which the valve stem l3 extends. The outer end of the valve stem I3 is vprovided with a knob l6 whereby itmay be pulled forwardly to open the valve II and establish communication between the compartments I5 and 6.

Withinthe compartment 6, a frame, constituting aguide and positioning device for the roller, is mounted. This frame includes a U-, shaped section ll, the transverse arm of which is adapted to seat in a selected one of the channels 8, whereby the frame may be supported at its forward end at selected elevations. The U- shaped section I! of the, frame is bent to provide a spaced pair of vertical arms l8 having horizontal extensions [9, and in the back wall of the container is a series of openings 20, said openings being spaced apart and inwardly from the side walls so that the frame may be supported at its rear end at selected elevations by inserting the extensions l9 therein. The section I 2 of the frame lies horizontally and provides aguide and support for the roller when the same is drawing forwardly in the reservoir 6 from the rear wall 2 to the partition I.

In employing the device, the paint is poured either into the reservoir 5 or the reservoir 6 until the level in the chamber 6 is at an optimum depth above the top surface of the section I! of the guiding frame. After the original filling of the container and the establishment of the optimum level in the main reservoir 6, a reserve supply of paint at a higher level may be maintained. in the reservoir 5, thereby holding the level thereof above the level in the reservoir 6 and providing a reserve supply. This reserve supply provides for maintaining the level in the reservoir 6 at the proper height above the frame. It is preferred to provide the compartment 5 with a lid or cover 2| and to provide, on the front wall of the container, a handle 22, for conveniently handling the container.

In operating the device, as heretofore suggested, the frame in the reservoir 6 is first adjusted to have the proper level of liquid-above the same, the adjustment depending upon the diameter of the applicator roller. The roller then is drawn through the reservoir 6. Theroller contacts with the U-shaped section I! and is supported and guided thereby. The stroke of the roller begins at the rear of the device and then is drawn forward. Ordinarily, this operation causes the roller to receive more paint on the surface thereof than is desirable. The movement of the roller is, therefore, continued upwardly on the inclined flat surface of the partition wall 1. This contact serves to remove the surplus coating of the paint on the roller and to distribute it evenly thereon. When the roller completes this travel, it is properly coated for applying the paint to thesurface to be painted.

As the paint is used and the level of the liquid drops in the reservoir 6, an additional supply from the reservoir is added to the supply the main reservoir 6 by opening the valve H until the level in the two reservoirs equalize.

When the supply of paint is depleted to such an extent that the level of the material in the two reservoirs has dropped below the original upper adjustment of the frame, the frame is then lowered into the next lower channel 8 and the next lower parallel pair of the openings 20. When the level drops below the lowest adjust ment of the frame, the frame may be removed, and the material taken directly from the lower level 'in the reservoir 6.

In Fig. 6 there is illustrated a modified form a of valve control for the passage of the liquid from the reserve reservoir 5 to the main reservoir 6. Inthis construction, the valve I la is in the form of a flap valve, having an extending slotted ear Hb thereon, and is actuated by a spring 141) to closed position. A pull rod [3a is connected to the valve Ha at its lower end engaging into the slot 'llb. The rod 13a extends upwardly and that only a sufiicient amount of paint for a proper application to a surface to be painted results. The device, therefore, provides both eflicient and economical means for the coating of a roller in the continuous application of paint to surfaces by the roller application method.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, a container for liquid paint and the like, a roller supporting and guiding frame including a horizontal member, means for supporting one end of said frame at selected elevations by one wall of said container, a second containerseparated from said first container by a partition wall adjacent the other end of said frame having an inclined fiat surface of substantial depth constituting a wiping surface for the'roller after it has travers'e'd said frame, said partition wall also having spaced supports for the other end of said frame, and means for selectively establishing communication between said containers.

2. In a device of the class described, a receptable, a partition dividing said receptable into a main reservoir and a supplementary supply reservoir, means operable to control the interflow of liquid between said reservoirs, and a roller supporting and guiding frame mounted in one of said reservoirs for supporting and guiding a roller during its liquid pick-up operation, said frame being adjustable to a plurality of levels, and cooperating means on said partition and in one wall of said main reservoir for adjustably supporting said frame at each of said levels.

8. In a device of the class described, a receptacle, a partition dividing said receptacle into a main reservoir and a supplementary supply reservoir and said partition having a plane inclined surface of substantial depth for wiping a roller, means operable to control the interflow of liquid between said reservoirs,,a roller supporting and guiding frame mounted in one of said reservoirs for supporting and guiding a roller during its liquid pick-up operation, and means on saidpartition and in one wall of said main reservoir for adjustably supporting said frame.

4. In a device of the class described, a portable container, a handle on said container, a partition in said container to divide the same into separated reservoirs to provide a main compartment and a supplemental compartment for containing liquid, a closure for said supplemental compartment, a frame in said main compartment for supporting and guiding a roller. during its liquid pick-up operation, and supports on said partition and one wall of said main compartment whereby said frame may be adjusted and supported in a plurality of vertical adjustments.

5. A liquid pick-up device for roller applicators comprising a liquid container including opposed walls, and a frame in said container formed for supporting a roller applicator during its liquid pick-up operation, said opposed walls including means for supporting said frame at different levels, one wall including vertically spaced cor-rugations and the other well vertically spaced apertures, said frame including portions adapted to engage said corrugations and to extend into said apertures for supporting same.

6. A liquid pick-up device for roller applicators comprising a liquidcontainer including opposed walls, and a frame in said container formed for supporting a roller applicator during its liquid pick-up operation, said opposed walls including means for supporting said frame at different levels, one -of said walls including a plane portion adapted to receive said'r'oller in rolling relation to remove excess liquid.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a container having opposed walls, one of said walls containing vertically spaced grooves and the other wall containing pairs of vertically spaced openings, and a U.-shaped frame, the transverse portion of said frame engaging one of the grooves in the one wall and the free ends engaging one pair of openings in theother wall.

ELMER. s. BRAUN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 160,852 Thayer Mar. 16, 1875 540,129 Woltman May 28, 1395 860,838 Spingler July 23, 1907 863,776 Bliemeister Aug. 20, 1907 1,014,294 Garvey Jan. 9, 1912 1,154,786 Lindeberg Sept. 28, 1915 2,204,190 Siegel June 11, 1940 2,402,346 Rosenlund June 18, 1946 

